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PayPal Phishing Scam Uses Legit Email Accounts

Posted: August 2, 2016 to Cybersecurity.

Tags: Malware, Data Breach, Cloud Security

Phishing has gone to a whole new level as cybercriminals have started sending emails from legitimate PayPal accounts with fake money requests and links to malicious websites. Most likely using compromised PayPal email accounts, the enterprising hackers are getting unsuspecting victims to send them money.  Just as bad or worse, however, is the link in the email. The link is masked behind a goo.gl link shortener and redirects victims to a website that infects their computer with the Chthonic banking trojan, a variant of the Zeus banking trojan, which steals banking information through a secretly installed keylogger.  So not only can recipients be fooled into giving the hackers money, they can also have their bank login information stolen. On the upside, the link only seems to have been clicked a couple dozen times or so as of this writing, which tells us that the con is not yet very widespread, meaning it hasn't been automated yet.  It is, however, a new cyberthreat to be wary of.  No longer is it safe to simply make sure an email is coming from who it purports to be.

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About the Author

Craig Petronella, CEO and Founder of Petronella Technology Group
CEO, Founder & AI Architect, Petronella Technology Group

Craig Petronella founded Petronella Technology Group in 2002 and has spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, compliance, and digital forensics. He holds the CMMC Registered Practitioner credential (RP-1372) issued by the Cyber AB, is an NC Licensed Digital Forensics Examiner (License #604180-DFE), and completed MIT Professional Education programs in AI, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity. Craig also holds CompTIA Security+, CCNA, and Hyperledger certifications.

He is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling Author of 15+ books on cybersecurity and compliance, host of the Encrypted Ambition podcast (95+ episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon), and a cybersecurity keynote speaker with 200+ engagements at conferences, law firms, and corporate boardrooms. Craig serves as Contributing Editor for Cybersecurity at NC Triangle Attorney at Law Magazine and is a guest lecturer at NCCU School of Law. He has served as a digital forensics expert witness in federal and state court cases involving cybercrime, cryptocurrency fraud, SIM-swap attacks, and data breaches.

Under his leadership, Petronella Technology Group has served 2,500+ clients, maintained a zero-breach record among compliant clients, earned a BBB A+ rating every year since 2003, and been featured as a cybersecurity authority on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and WRAL. The company leverages SOC 2 Type II certified platforms and specializes in AI implementation, managed cybersecurity, CMMC/HIPAA/SOC 2 compliance, and digital forensics for businesses across the United States.

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